Proof press



A. T. KOPPE PROOF PRESS June 4, 1929.

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A. T. KOPPE lube 4, 1929.

PROOF PRES S A. T. KOPPE "PaobF PRESS June 4, 1929.,

11 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 2O, 1924 A. T. KQPPE PROOF PRESS- June 4, 1929.

Filed Dec. 20, 1924' 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 A. T. KOPPE PROOF PRESS June 4, 1929.

Filed Dec. 20, 1924 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 NQN. 4 mmmxv QQN sow wmdfi mom/m Z m @QN RN 1mm mmw N MQ 9N wk NIIII llll WWW QWW A. T. KOFPE PROOF PRESS June 4, 1929.

Filed Dec. 20, 1924 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 kid/V1.1,

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PROOF PRES 5 Filed Dec. 20, 1924 11 Sheets -Sheet 11 Patented June 4, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER '1. KOPPE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 DIRECTOPLATE CORPO- RATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

moor rnnss.

Application filed December 20, 1924. Serial No. 757,104.

This invention relates to improvements in in a commercial printing operation, it is desirable to go through a preliminary proving operation in which a plate of zinc or the like, I

bearing lithographic design which has been transferred thereto by photographic or other means, is placed in a proof press in which the impression on the inked zinc plate is first transferred to a transfer cylinder and then impressed by this cylinder on a sheet of paper, successive operations of the proof press being performed to reproduce one or all of the colors of the design or object on the sheet of proof paper. such as those'of zinc and the like,- and the r sheets of proof paper may vary considerably in thickness from time to time and 1 between successive operations of the proof press, it is desirable to provide means for compensating for this variation in thickness so that the transfer cylinder will bear with substantially the same pressure on the zinc plates and the sheets of paper at all times. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide an improved proof press comprising improved means for effecting relative adjustment of the bed-plates, upon which the zinc Sheets and paper sheets are mounted, with respect to the transfer cylinder. Still another object is to provide improved adjusting mechanism whereby either of the bed-plates upon which the zinc plates and paper sheets are mounted may be adjusted vertically while maintaining their upper surfaces at all times parallel to the surface of the transfer cylinder. Still another object is to provide means for effecting independent adj usti'nent of different parts of each bed-plate so that the upper surface of the bed-plate may be adjusted into the desired plane. Another object of the invention is to provide means for securing identity of registration of the transfercylinder with the bed-plate bearing the paper sheet and the bedplatebearing the zinc plate, in successive operations, so that diiferent colors may be re-- Since sensitized plates,

produced in the objector design being proved Without overlapping of the different colors or designs. A further important object of the invention is to provide improved means for securing the paper sheets on the bed-plate and for properly positioning the paper sheets thereon. Still another object is to provide improved means for moving the transfer cylinder to and from the plane of the upper surfaces of the bed-plates. A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for moving the bed-plate beneath the transfer cylinderand for controlling the starting and stopping of this actuating mechanism. Another object is to provide means for automatically elevating the transfer roll at the end of travel of the bed-plate. A further feature is the provision-of improved means for supporting the bed-plates during their travel. A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for securing the rubber blanket'or other transfer member in position on the cylinder. Other objects relate to various features of construction and arrangement which will appear more clearly hereinafter. 1

The nature of the-invention will be understood from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawin s in which one embodiment is illustrated. n the drawings, Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the improved proof press; Fig. 2'shows a partial side elevation of the machine, illustrating the positions of the parts of the actuating mechanism of the transfer cylinder when the cylinder has been raised; Fig. 2* is a vertical section taken inside the side frame showing the mechanism for operating the gripper shaft; Fig. 3 shows a top plan View of the proof press Fig. 4 shows an end elevation of the machine, looking toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal section taken on the line 66 of'Fig. 3; Fig. 7 shows a longitudinal section taken on the 1ine'77 of Fig. 3, the views of Figs. 6 and? showing a complete longitudinal section through the machine with the carriage displaced on the opposite side of the 8 is a detail section takenon the line 88 of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 shows a transverse section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3; Fig. 10 shows a top plan view of the machine with the bed-plates removed and with parts thereof broken away;

20 1.7-17 of Figmechanism illustrated in Fig. shows a side elevation of the controller mech- -..verse frame is shown as Fi 11 shows a plan View of the transfer cyl i'nder, illustrating the improved means for securing the rubber transfer blanket thereto; Fig. 12 shows a partial enlarged transverse section taken on the line 1212 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 shows a transverse section through the transfer cylinder taken onrthe line 1313 of Fig. 11; Fig. 14 shows a partial longitudinal section through the transfer cylinder taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 11; Fig. 15is a longitudinal detail sectional view taken on the line l515 of Fig. 3, showing the transverse register slide of the bed-plate for the paper and the means for holding the paper sheet in position thereon; Fig. 16 shows a detail section taken transversely of the machine through the register slide on the line 1616 of Fig. 15; Fig. 17 shows a section taken longitudinally of the-machine on the line showing the means for positioning the paper sheet longitudinally of the bed-plate; Fig. 18 shows a perspective View of an auxiliary rack bar section which is employed for securing exact registration of the transfer cylinder and the bed-plates in successive operations of the machine; Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a complementary rack bar section which is employed in connection with that illustrated in Fig. 18; Fig. 20 shows an enlarged end elevation of a portion of the transfer cylinder and the gear which rotates therewit illustrating the engagement of the teeth of this gear with the main rack bar and with the auxiliary rack bars shown in Figs.

18 and, 19 Fig. 21 shows a top plan view of the main rack bar having mounted therein the auxiliary rack bars shown in Figs. 18 and 19;

Fig. 22 shows a top plan view of the motor controllenby which-the direction of rotation of the motor is automatically reversed at the ends of travel of the bed-plates; Fig. 23 is a vertical section taken on theline 2323 of Fig. ,6-through the friction brake for controlling the rotation of'the screw shaft; Fig. 24 shows a. side elevation of the controller 22; Fig. 25

anism, looking toward the opposite side from that illustrated in Fig. 24; and Fig. 26 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connections of the reversing controller and other devices for controlling the operation of the driving motor. v i

As illustrated in the drawings, the invention comprises a supporting frame 30, comprising a pair of side frames or standards 31, each having a part 31 extending upwardly from a floor or other support, and provided with longitudinal extensions 31 extending in opposite directions thereon. The side frames 31 are united by a pair of transverse frame members 32, having the form illustrated particularly in Figs. 4, and 6, where each trans comprising an up,- wardly extending part 32* -50 are tachable bars 56 and a horizontally projecting shelf portion 32", these transverse to the side frames 31 by means of bolts 33.

The parts 32 are formed integrally with or connected to two other transverse frame members 34 having flanges 34 at their ends which are connected to the side frames by bolts 35, these transverse frame members 34 supporting the bearings 36 of the longitudinal powerdriven screw shaft 37 by which the bed-plates are moved longitudinally of the machine. The threaded portion of the screw shaft 37 threadedly engages an internally threaded sleeve or nut 38 which is secured to the underside of a carriage 40, as shown in Fig. 7 so that the rotation of the shaft moves the carriage with respect to the frame 30. The carriage 40 supports the bed-plates 41 and 42 which are adapted to carry the lithographed plates and the paper sheets, respectively, and to travel beneath the transfer cylinder 44 which is provided with trunnions 45 'journaled in bearings carried by the bearing brackets 46 secured to the side frame members 31. In the operation of the machine,'a plate bearing a lithographed design is placed on the bed-plate 41 and as the carriage 40 moves longitudinally of the machine, the design to be reproduced is transferred to the cylinder 44 by which it is in turn transferred to the paper sheet mounted on the bed-plate 42 as the longitudinal movement of the carriag'e 40 continues.

The carriage 40 is in the form of a rectangular frame of box-like form having'a central transverse member 40, side members 40", and transverse end members 40 and 40 The side members 40 of the carriage 40 travel on two series of cylindrical rollers 50 which roll on trackways 51 formed integrally with the side frame members 31, as shownparticularly in Fig. 9. The rollers 50 are mounted 011 spindles 52 which extend outwardly from roller bars 53. The track\ 'ays 51 are grooved slightly as shown at 51 to receive the rollers 50 and the roller bars 53 adapted to travel above, the shoulders 54 which are formed at the inner sides of the grooves- The rollers preferably so de'signedthat the roller bars 53 travel longitudinally of the frame 30 with a speed substantially half of the longitudinal speed of the carriage 40, and this arrangement substantially between the rollers and the contacting surfaces of the frame and carriage. The roller bars 53 are adapted to slide in guideways 55 which are formed in the underside of the side members 40 of the carriage and the bars are retained in these guideways by the dewhichare secured to the under side of the carriage by cap screws or the like. In order to retain the bars 53 and their rollers in the same relative positions at all times with respect to the carriage 40, in any eliminates friction given position of the carriage 40 each bar 43 is provided with an inwardly projecting spin dle 58 having mounted thereon a pinion 60 adapted to mesh. with a rack bar 61 secured to the side frame member 31 and with another rack bar 62 secured to the bar 56 carried by the carriage 40. As the carriage 40 moves longitudinally of the frame 30, the weight of the carriage is supported by the rollers and the pinio'ns n'ieshing with the rack bars 61 and 62 at the sides of the machine serve merely to maintain the roller bars 53 in the proper relative positions with respect to the carriage. The sides of the carriage are spaced inwardly somewhat from the side walls of the frame 30, as shown in Fig. 4, and the carriage is maintained in position laterally of the frame by means of rollers 65 which are adapted to contact with the vertical sur facesof trackways 66 formed on the side walls of the frame. At one side of the machine the rollers 65 are mounted on pivots carried by brackets 67 which are secured in fixed position on the ends of the carriage 40, as shown in Fig. 4, but at the other side of the machine, the rollers 65 are mounted on pivots carried by brackets 68 which are slidably mounted on the ends of the carriage 40, these brackets 68 being forced normally in an outward direction by means of coil springs 69 which are mounted between lugs 70 on the carriage and the flanges 71 of the bracket so that the adjacent rollers are maintained in contact with the adjacent trackway 66 and lateral movement of the carriage is at all times prevented.

As shown in Fig. 5, the brackets'68 are slidably mounted in guides 7 2 fixed on the carriage 40. i j

The bed-plate 41 is supported by two shafts 75 journalled in eccentrics 76 which, in turn, are journaled in the side members 40 of the carriage and maintained in position by collars 76" fixed on the shafts 75. One of the transverse ribs 41 on the under side of the bed-plate 41 rests on each of the shafts 7 5 and the longitudinal ribs 41 are hollowed out as shown at 7 7 to receive the shafts 7 5. Longitudinal movement of the bed-plate 41 in one direction within the carriage is prevented by means of stop screws 7 8 which threadedly engage the end wall 40 of the carriage and are held in adjust-ed position by means of wing nuts 79. The zinc plate 80 rests on the upper surface of the bed-plate 41 and the end thereof toward the right-hand end of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 6, is secured in place on the bed-plate by means of channel-shaped bars 82 which are adjustably attached to the bed-plate by means of cap screws 83. The corner of the bed-plate is beveled as shown at 84 and'the upper flange of the bar 82 contacts with the zinc plate 80 opposite this beveled surface so that the upper edge of the bar 82 is displaced downwardy from the upper surface of the zinc plate.

In the operation of the machine, the carriage ,40 and the bed-plate 41 travel toward the right as viewed in Fig. 6, asindicated by the arrow 84, when the zinc plate is engaged by the transfer cylinder, so that it is necessary to attach the zinc plate 80 to the bedplate only at the leading edge thereof.

The bed-plate 42, on which the paper sheet is mounted, is supported on a pair of shafts 85 journaled in eccentrics. 86 which in turn are journaled in: the side members 40 of the carriage and maintained in position by collars 86 fixed. on the shafts. One of the transverse ribs 42 of bed plate 42 rests on each of the shafts 85 and the longitudinal ribs 42*. there of are notched out as shown at 87 to receive the shafts 85. The movement of the bed-plate 42 toward the adjacent end of the carriage is prevented by stop members 88 which threadedly engage the end wall 40 of the carriage and are held inadjusted positions by means of wing nuts .89.

The mechanism for adjusting the bed-plate 41 in a vertical direction is the same as the .mechanism for adjusting the bed-plate 42 in a vertical direction and a description of one of these mechanisms will therefore suffice for both. Each of the eccentrics 76 and 86 has formed integrally therewith or rigidly connected thereto an eccentric arm 90 and the eccentric arms for each bed-plate are connected longitudinally at each side of the bedplate by a rod 91 having threaded ends which engage blocks 92 secured in adjusted position longitudinally of the rod by means of lock nuts 93. Each block 92 has a bearing pin 94 projecting laterally therefrom and passing through an aperture in the adjacent eccentric arm 90, these parts being secured in the proper relative positions by means of 'nuts 95, as shown particularly in Fig. 8. This connection between the rod 91 and the eccentric arms 90 permits any eccentric arm to be adjusted in its angular position independently of any other, so that any corner or section of the connected bed-plate may be raised or lowered independently of other parts of the bed-plate through the operation of the eccentrics 7 6 or 86, in order that the upper surface of thebedplate may be located in a horizontal plane parallel to the surface of the cylinder 44. In

order to effect the simultaneous elevation of all parts of each bed-plate in equal degree,

the rods 91 at opposite sides of each bed-plate are connected to a common actuating member. Referring to Fig. 10. the rods 91 for the bed plate 41 engage brackets 97 to which they are secured by nuts 98' and these brackets are mounted on a transverse shaft 99 connected to a sliding frame 100 through crank arms 101 having connection with the sliding frame through pins 102. The sliding frame 100 has a longitudinal extension 100 which is slidably mounted in guideways 103 formed between the base portion 40 of the carriage and plate 42 at the leading per fingers 126 with key 129 engaging the guide plates 104 which? are detachably secured thereto. The sliding frame is adjusted longitudinally to effect an angular movement of the crank arms 90 through the operation of a hand wheel 105 having a bandle 105*, which is secured screw 106 having-a threaded engagement with the barrel 107 which is formed integrally with the sliding frame 100. The adjusting screw 106 extends through a bearing 108 which is carried by the end member 40 of the carriage and the dial 110 formed on the hand wheel provided with graduations 111, distributed around it 90 degrees apart, so that the operator may predetermine the extent of vertical adjustment of the bed-plate 41 by the position of the g-raduations on the dial 110. For example, it may be predetermined that the movement of the dial 110 through 90 degrees will eifect a vertical elevation or depression of the bedplate 41 a distance of 3/1000th of an inch and, having previously determined'the extent of adjustment necessary, through measurement of the thickness of the zinc plate 80, the operator may effect a precise adjustment of the bedplate through the operation of the hand wheel 105." At the other end of the carriage, the rods 91 which actuate the bedplate 42 are connected to similar mechanism comprising a sliding frame mounted to slide in guideways 116, formed in the base portion 40* of the carriage in conjunction with the detachable bars 117, and the sliding frame 115 is operated by an adjusting screw 118 having secured thereon a hand wheel 120 having a handle 120. The hand wheel 120 carries a dial 121 having graduations 122 marked thereon and distributed 90 degrees apart like the graduations on the dial 110, so that the degree of elevation or depression of the bedplate 42 maybe predetermined through knowledge of the extent of movement of the bedplate which is effected by a 90 degree turn of the adjusting screw 118.

The paper sheet. 125 is held on the bededge of the bedplate by means of a plurality of gripper fingers 126 which are secured on a shaft 127 journaled in bearings 128 carried by the central part 40 of the carriage 40. The connection of the gripthe shaft 127 is made by a a composite kcyway 130 formed in the shaft and in each of the members 126, as shown in Fig. 15, the keyway being slightly larger than the key so that some relativemovement of each finger ,126 and-the shaft is permitted, in order that all-of the fingers 126, without being normally inexact alinement, maybe brought into engagement with 60, h

t e-paper sheet on the bedplate through the operation of aplurality'of coil springs 131,

each of which is connected at oneend to the b underside of one of the fingers and at the other end to a pin 133 extending outwardly from one of the transverse ribs 42 of the bed-plate.

on an adjusting The springs 131 hold the iucn'ibcrs 126 normally in engagement with the upper surface of the edge of the paper sheet and when it is desired to release the members and remove it from the bed-plate, the fingers 126 are moved upwardly against the tension of the springs by rocking the shaft 127. For this purpose, the shaft 127 has a crank arm 135 fixed on the projecting end thereof and adapted to be engaged by either one of two other crank arms 136 which are fixed on'a shaft 137 journaled in bearings carried by one of the side frames 31, as shown in Fig. 1. Two of the shafts 137 and two of the crank arms 136are provided so that the shaft 126' may be rocked to release the paper from the bed-plate at either end of the path of travel of the bed-plate. Each shaft 137 has a crank arm 138 connected thereto and arranged to be operated by a rod 139 having its lower end connected to a pedal 140 pivoted on the side of the frame as shown at 141. A coil spring 142 is mounted on each rod 139 between the li k 139 on the end of the rod and a lug 143 w ich projects outwardly from the side frame, these springs serving normally to hold the crank arms 136 in hori-- paper from the gripping,

zontal positions, as shown in Fig. 4, so that they do not engage the crank arms 135 mounted on the end of the shaft 127. After one of the pedals 140 has been operated to raise the paper holding fingers 126 out of engagement with the paper on the bed-plate 42, the foot pedal is released, and the spring 142 immediately returns the crank arm 136 to its normal position, thereby permitting the holding fingers 126 to return to their normal positions under the influence of the springs 121.

The shaft 127 which operates the mechanism for holding the paper sheet on the bedplate 42 also operates certain devices for positioningthesheetofpaperlongitudinallyonthe bed-plate. For this purpose, the shaft 127 is provided with a plurality of positioning me1n hers 145 which are constructed in the form of brackets 'pivotally mounted on the shaft between adjacent gripping members 126 so that the ripping members and the positioning mem ers alternate with each other along the shaft. each positioning member 145 is provided with a shoulder 146 having slidably mounted thereon a block 147 provided with a stem 147 which slidabl y engages an aperture or bore extending through the-positioning member as shown at 148. Each member 145 is provided with a slot 149 intersecting the bore 148 and this slot has mounted therein a knurled adjusting member 150 which threadedly engages the stem 147 so that the position of the block 147 may be regulated as desired. @he stems 147 are held in adjusted position y means of set screws 147 Each block 147 carries a pivot pin 151 which engages an an ular contact plate 152 having a flange extending downwardly toward the bed-plate and adapted to contact with the edge of the paper sheet when it is positioned on the bed-plate. The

positioning members 145 are held in such position that the flanges of the contact members 152 engage the bed-plate through the operation of coil springs 154 which are connected at one end to the positioning members and them to be adjusted in position so that the contacting faces 152 thereof lie in the desired plane to contact with the edge of the paper sheet. The pivotal mounting of the positioning members permits them to remain in contact with the bed-plate when the grippers 136 are elevated. A

The bedplate 42 also carries means for positioning the paper sheet transversely of the bedplate, this mechanism bein shown in detail in Figs. 15 and 16. The be plate 42' is provided adjacent the shaft 127 with a transverse rectangular groove 157 having slidably mounted therein a register slide 158 provided with a plurality of threaded apertures 159 extending downwardly from its top surface so that any one of these apertures may be engaged by a-threaded screw 160 engaging a side contact plate 161, having a flat edge face 161 adapted to contact with the lateral edge of the paper sheet. 4 By causing the screw. 160 to engage any desired one of the threaded apertures 159, a considerable variation may be secured in the lateral position of the contact piece 161. A finer adjustment of the position of the contact piece 161 may be obtained through the operation of an adjusting screw 163 which threadedly engages a bore 164 formed in the register slide and which threadedly engages a plate 165 secured to the side of the bedplate. A. collar 166 is fixed on the adjusting screw 163 at one side of the plate 165 and the operating member 167, having a dial 168, is secured on the end of the adjusting member at the other side of the plate 165. The dial 168 is provided with graduations so that the extent of movement of the'register slide maybe predetermined. The bore 164 in the register slide is provided with an enlargement 164 having mountedv therein a-nonecircular nut or block 169 which is threadedly engaged by the adjusting screw, and a coil spring 170 ismounted between this block and the shoulder at the end of the part 164 of the bore so that a tight engagementis maintained at all times between the threads of the adjusting screw and the threads of the slide and slight variatigns in the position of the register slide are prevented. a

The transfer-cylinder 44 comprises a flex-- ible pad or blanket 17 5, of rubber or the like, by which the design or impresslon to be reproduced is transferred from they l1thographed plate 80 to the paper sheet 125. This rubber blanket is mountedon the outer surface of the longitudinally slotted hollow cylinder 176, forming a part of the transfer.

cylinder, and one edge of the blanket is secured between a pair of holding bars 177 and 17 8 which are secured together by screws 179 so that they grip the edge of the blanket bev tween them. One of the bars 178 is preferably hollowed out as shown at 178? so that the edge of the bar more eflt'ectually grips the blanket and one edge of the other bar 177 is adapted to extend beneath a shoulder 179 on the inward projection 180 of the cylinder wall so that the holding bars are held in place when tension is produced in the blanket. The other edge of the blanket 17 5 is secured between a pair of similar gripping bars 181 andv 182, secured together by screws and mounted in a longitudinal pocket which is formed in a rotatable cylinder or roll 183 provided at one end with a ratchet wheel 184. The ends of the roll 183 are provided with trunnions 185 which are journaled in suitable bearings 186 carried at the end of the transfer cylinder 44,

as shown in Fig. 11, and the roll is rotated to adjust the tension of the rubber blanket 175 by the engagement of a wrench with the squared portion 187 of one of the trunnions 185 at the end of the roll opposite the ratchet wheel 184. The ratchet wheel is held in its adjusted position by means'of a detent189 engaged by a coil spring 190 mounted on a pin 191 carried by the inwardly projecting part 180 of the cylindervso that the spring normally forces the detent into engagement with the ratchet wheel. To permit the operator to disengage the detent fromthe ratchet wheel when in a position adjacent the other end of the roll 183 where the wrench engageable portion 187 of the trunnion is located, the detent 189 is providedwith an. arm 192 arranged to overlie an operating bar 193slidably mounted on the part 180 of the cylinder and held in position by a plurality ofcap screws 194 which pass through elongated slots 195 formed in the bar, as'shown in Fig, 9. These slots permit the bar 193 to be moved longitudinally toward the inclined end face 196 thereof beneath the operating arm 192 of the detent, as indicated in Fig. 14, thereby forcing the detent out of engagement with the ratchet wheel and permitting the operator to rotate the roll 183 to release the blanket.

The bar 193 is provided with an operating only after lifting the leaf spring 199. j

j The trunnions 45 which carry the transmoved longitudinally to disengage the detent 4 k fer cylinder 44 are mounted to rotate in bushings 205 located in eccentric sleeves 206 which in turn are journaled in the bearing brackets 46, previously referred to. The ends of the trunnions 45 are engaged by washers 207 and nuts 208 and the eccentrics 206 are provided with integral crank arms 209 pivotally connected at-their outer ends to blocks 210 which are threadeclly engaged by operating rods gaged by slot 216 in an rotatably mounted on the end of the shaft 214.

. When the lever 217 is moved toward the right the rods 211 to as viewed in Fi 1, to the position shown by dotted lines in ig. 2, the crank arms operate rotate the eccentrics 206 and thereby permit the cylinder 44 to be elevated free of engagement with either the litho-- graphed plate on the bedplate 41 or the paper sheet on the bedplate 42.- The reverse motion of the eccentrics with a resulting lowering of the transfer cylinder 44, so thatthe rubber/sheet thereof engages with the upper surfacesof the lithographed plate 80 or the paper sheet 125, may

be effected manually through the operation of a link 219 which is connected to the pivot pin 215 and arranged to extend longitudinally therefrom. This link has a'slot 220 in the end thereof which is engaged by a? pin 221 on an operating lever .65 r d by regulating the 222 and this operating lever may be moved toward the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, to effect the lowering of the cylinder towards the bedplate. The movement of the lever 222 toward the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 is limited by means of a stop screw 223 threadedly engaging a lug 224 extending outwardly from the adjacent side frames 31 and this stop screw of course limitsalso the extent of movement of the link 219 and the crank arms 213 when actuated by the lever 217, so that it determines the extent to which the roll 44 is elevated away from the path of movement of the bedplates. In a similar manner, the lever 217 is limited in its counterclockwise movement by a stop screw 225 which threadedly engages a lug 226 extending outwardly from the side frames 31, so' that the lowering of the cylinder 44 is limited bythe engagement of the pin 215 with slot 216 and the engagement of the lever 217 with the stopscrew 225. By adjusting the stop screws 223'and 225, any desired range of movement of the transfer cylinder44 may be obtained. Further adjustment may be selock nuts 212 in order to vary the positions of the rods 211 in the of the machine, as

blocks 210, whereby varying the normal positions of the eccentrics 206 in their bearings. When the carriage 40 reaches the'end of its path o'f travel toward the right, as viewed in Fi 7, the cylinder 44 is elevated automatically y the action of an arm 227 fixed on the shaft 214 in the path of movement of a stop member 228 carried by a bracket 229 socured to the end of the carriage 40.

The cylinder 44 is provided at opposite ends with bearers in the form of bearing discs or wheels 230 and when the cylinder 44 is lowered by the operation of the eccentric mechanism heretofore described, these bearing members230 reston the horizontal bearing surfaces 231 which are formed on the side members 40 of the carriage 40. lVhen thecarriage 40 is moved longitudinally by the rotation of the screw shafts 37, contact between the surfaces 231 and the peripheral surfaces of the drums 230 serves to rotate the transfer cylinder'44 so that the impression on the lithographed plate 80 is first transferred to the rubber sheet 175 and then transferred by the rubber sheet to the paper sheet 125 mounted on the bed plate 42. In the process of proving a particular design or impression which is to be reproduced'in the offset printing process, it may be necessary to run through the the proof press a plurality of separate lithographed plates in order to reproduce all of the different colors which make up the composite design or impression, and since it is necessary that the various colors be in exact register on the printed sheet, it is important that the part of the rubber sheet 175 on the transfer cylinder 44 which first contacts with the lithographed plate or the paper sheet be brought into engagement with the lithographed plate 0.1 the paper sheet in the same relative posit-ions in successive operations of transferring different parts of the composite design from the lithographed plate to the paper sheet through the transfer cylinder. For the purpose of securing this exact regis tration of the transfer cylinder 44 with the bedplates when the rotation of the cylinder first begins, the cylinder 44 is provided at one end with a relatively fixed gear 233 which is adapted to mesh with a rack bar 234 mount-- ed in fixed position on the carriage 40 at one side of one of the bearing surfaces 231, as shown particularly in Fig. 4. The gear 233 .is provided with relatively large teeth 233 which are adapted to mesh with undercut teeth 234 formedon the rack bar 234, but at certain points along. the rack bar 234, the teeth '234 are supplemented by teeth of different which engage apertures or slots 239 and-240 formed in the rack bars 235 and 236, respectively, and which engage threaded apertures in the rack bar 234. The slots 239 in the rack bar 235 are elongated and the end of this rack 233 on the gear.

As shown in Figs. 20 and 21,- the auxiliary register rack segments 236 and 237 are adjusted longitudinally of the rack bar 234, that they mesh closely with the teeth 233 of the gear, thereby registering the rack bar with the transfer cylinder 44 with respect to the carriage and the bedplate and locating the teeth 233= in a'clearance position with respect to the teeth of the rack bar 234. When this adjustment is made, the teeth of the auxiliary register-rack bars 235 and 236 project beyond the faces of the under-cut teeth 234 on the main rack bar, as shown in Figs. 20 and 21 and, since the teeth of the rack bar 234 are under-cut, the teeth 233" do not contact with the teeth 234 during the subsequent travel of the carriage and bedplates beneath the transfer cylinder with the cylinder in con tact with the plates or sheet carried by the bedplate. This eliminates the possibility of any creeping of the impression on the transfer cylinder due to the meshing of the gears when an impression is being taken from the lithographed sheet 80. When the transfer cylinder 44 is first lowered, registration is obtained by the meshing of the teeth 233 of the gear with the teeth of the auxiliary rack bars 235 and 236and, at this time, the bearers 230 do not contact with the bearing surfaces 231 by reason of the fact that the portions 230 of the bearers are ground off in the region between the edges of the rubber blanket 175 so that the initial rotation of the cylinder 44 is effected by the intermeshing teeth of the gear 233 and the composite rack bars 234, 235 and 236 before the bearers 230 pass into engagement with the bearing surfaces 231. After the initial operation ofeifeeting registration of the cylinder 44 with respect to thetravel of the bedplate, the rotation of the cylinder is effected entirely by the contacting surfaces of the bearers-230 and the parts 231, but the teeth 233 of the gear continue to mesh with the teeth of the rack bar 234 in clearance position'as heretofore explained. If the carriage 40 is moved longitudinally of the machine when the cylinder-44 is elevated, the teeth 233 continue to mesh with the teeth 234 of the rack bar and,

in this case, the teeth will contact with each other so that the longitudinal movement of the carriage will rotate the cylinder and prevent it from getting out of proper position with respect to the travel of the bedplates.

The screw shaft 37 by which the longitudinal movement of the carriage .40 is effected is driven by an electric motor 240 which is connected by a belt 241 with a pulley 242 mounted on the end of the shaft 37, as shown in Fig. 6. In order that the screw shaft 37 may come to rest promptly when the motor 240 is stopped, thereby preventing over-running of the carriage 40, the shaft 37 is provided with a friction wheel 242 surrounded by a friction and 243*, the latter of which is secured to the frame member 32". The part 243- is provided.

of leather or the like which are secured on the inside. of the part-243" of the housing. By adjusting the nuts 248, the degree of fricso strap or housing 243 formed in two parts 243 tional contact may be regulated in order to arrest the movement of the screw shaft 37 in the manner desired after the motor 240 has been stopped. e

The motor 240 may be either a direct currentmotor or an alternating current motor but, for example, there is illustrated in the drawings an alternating current threephase system which is automatically controlled so that the motor may be conveniently started and stopped by the operator and its direction of rotation automatically reversed by control of mechanism which is operated when the carriage 40 reaches either limit of its travel. As shown in Fig. 26, a three phase alternating current motor is supplied with electric current from a suitable source'through three line wires 251, 252 and 253. The supply of current from these line Wires to the motor 240 is controlled by an electro-magnetic switch 255, a reversing controller 256, two starting switches 257 and 258, and astopping switch 259. The starting switch 257 is located in a casing-260 on the side frame 31 adjacent the lever 217, as shown in Fig. 1, and the other startin with the stopping switch 259 'in a casing 261 located adjacent the other operating lever 222, the switch casings being connected by a conduit 262 in which the electric conductors switch 258 is located are located. One of the line conductors 251 eads through the electro-magnetic switch 3 netic switch 255, are? carried to the controller 256 having contacts which are adapted to be I operated, as hereinafter described, for reversdirection. Thestarting switches 257 and 258 are normally open and the instantaneous closmg of either of. them by the fingers of the operator serves to operate the electro-magnetlc switch 255 'so that the contacts thereof close and-start the motor'in operation. When it is arms of this bracket are sprln notches 271 and 272.

"mounted on the upper desired to stop the operation ofthc motor, the elcctro-magnet-ic switch 255 is operated to open the circuit by the manual manipulation of the stopping switch 259.

'The controller 256 comprises a casing 265 having. mounted therein two series of stationary electrical contacts 266 and 267 adapted to be engaged by themovable contacts 268, all of these. contacts being connected in the electrical circuit as shown in Fig-'26. The movable contacts 268 are "actuated by the shaft-"269 which projects through the end wall of the casing 265 and has fixed thereon a disc 270 providedwith a pairof notches 271 and 272, asshown in Fig. 24, adapted-to be engaged by rollers 273 mounted on the two locking levers 274 and 275. A U-shaped bracket 276 is secured tothe base of the controller casing, and the upwardly extending connected by coil s 277 and 278 to the locking levers 274 and 2 75, respectively. The springs 277 and 27 8 hold rollers 273 in contact with the peripheral surface of the disc 270 so that when the disc is turnedto proper position-the roll-.

er 273 will engage one or the other of the Each of the locking a roller 279 pivotally end thereof to be engaged by a tripping member 280 of angular form, one of which is mounted at each end of the carriage 40, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The controller 256 is mounted'on a bracket 281 secured to the side frame 31, as shown in Fig. 9, andthis bracket is provided ,With a pair of upwardly extending arms 282 having guideways 283 formed in the upper part levers 274 and 275 has thereof to receive a slidably mounted bar 284 h avin-g formed therein a plurality of rack teeth 284-arranged to mesh with the teeth of a segmental gear 285 secured by cap screws 286 on an arm 287 which is fixed to the end of the controller shaft 269, at the end of the controller opposite theidisc 270. When the bar 284 is moved longitudinally of the ma chine in its guideway 273,-the resulting angular movement of the-segmental gear 285 moves the controller shaft 269 to throw the movable contacts 268=of the'c'ontroller to one extreme position or the other so that they engage the stationarycontaots 266 or the staare secured to the end wall of the controller The bar 256 is operated,

casing 265, as shown in Fig. 25. 284 by which the controller is provided-at opposite ends with oppositely directed flanges 284 and 284 which are adapted to be engaged at either end of the path of travel of the carriage by one or the other of two actuating rods 290 which are slidably mounted in the depending arms-291 of brackets 291 secured to the under-side of the carriage 40 at each end thereof, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The movement of each actuating rod 290 away from the central part of the carriage 40 is limited by a cotter pin 292 passing through the rod, and the rod is normally moved toward the end of the'carriage by a coil spring 293 which is mounted thereon, as shown particularly in Fig. 22, between one of the bracket arms 291 and a collar 294 fixed on the rod. As the carriage 40 approaches either end of its path of travel,

one of the rollers 279 on the locking lever 274 or 275 which carries the roller 273 then in engagement with one of the notches 271 or 272, is engaged by' one of the depending tripping members 280 .carried by the carriage, with the result that the roller 273 mounted on the'locking levers 274 013275 in question, is moved out of engagement with the notch in the disc'270kso that the controller shaft 269 is then free to turn. Just after the disc 270 is released, one of the flanges 284 or 284 of the operating bar 284 is engaged by one or the other of the actuating rods 290, depending upon the direction of movement of the carriage 40. When this occurs, the engaged rod 290 moves longitudinally in the supporting bracket 291 and the sprin 293 mounted on the rod is compressed unti the pressure acting on the bar 284 is sufiicient to actuate the segmental gear 285 and thereby throw the controller to its other extreme position through the rotation of the shaft 269. When the movable contacts 268 of the controller reach that position which affects the reversal of the direction of rotation of the motor 240, as determined by the engagement of the arm 287 with one or the other of the stops 280 mounted on the end wall of the controller, the roller 273 on the other one of the two operating locking levers 274 or 275, which was in its outer position during the preceding longitudinal movement of the carriage 40, is moved inwardly by its connected spring 277 or 278, thereby causing the roller 27 3 thereon to engage one of the notches 271 or 272 to hold the controller in the reversed position. The momentary interrupt-ion of the circuit during the movement of the movable been interrupted by the initial movement of the controller mechanism, the continued movement of the rack bar 284 to complete the reversal of the electrical connection. to the.

motor 240 is effected by one of the actuating ,rods 290, the energy stored up in the connected spring 293 being suflicient to continue the movement of the rack bar 284 until the segmental gear 285 reaches the limit of its movement.

Two of the starting switches 257 and 258 are provided at convenient points on one side frame 31 so that the machine can be started conveniently from either of the positions adjacent the operating levers by which the transfer cylinder 44 is raised and lowered. One of the starting switches 258 is located adjacent the stopping switch 259 so that these switches may be alternately de ressed in succession by the operator for t e purpose of effectin an intermittent longitudinal movement of the carriage 40. for positioning purposes. By means of this construction and arrangement of the actuating mechanism for the carriage 40, it will be apparent that at each end of its path of travel, the carriage 40 is automatically stopped and the connections of the motor are reversed so that thenext movement of the carriage is in the reverse direc-. tion. At one end of the machine, the stopping of the motor and the reversal of its connection by the operation of the controller takes place simultaneously with the automatic elevation of the transfer cylinder 44 out of contact with the paper sheet on the bed plate 42.

In the operation of the machine, with the carriage 40 at the right hand end of the movement taking place with the transfer cylinder 44 in its elevated position. The

zinc plate on the bedplate 41 is preferablyinked before the carriage is moved to theleft-hand end of the machine, as viewed inv Fig. 1, and when the carriage reaches the last-mentioned position, the paper sheet 125 is placed in position on the bedplate 42, the edges of the paper sheet being positioned in the manner heretofore described. The cylinder 44'is then lowered by the operation of the lever 222, and the motor having been mesh in clearance position automatically stopped by the controller when the carriage reaches the left-hand end of the machine, the operator then starts'the motor by again depressing one of the starting switches, with the result that the carriage moves to the right-hand end of the machine, as viewed in Fig. l, and the impression on the zinc plate is transferred to the cylinder44 and by that cylinder impressed on the paper sheet 125. When the carriage 40 reaches the right-hand end of the machine a ain, the cylinder 44 is automaticall elevate and the motor 240 is automatically .stopped simultaneously with the reversal of the said connection. In addition to the means for automatically elevating the transfer cylinder 44, the lever 217 is provided, as heretofore explained, for effecting a manual elevation of the transfer cylinder 44 at anydesired point in the operation of the machine. The provision of two pedals 140 makes its possible to elevate the grippers 126 to permit removal of the paper sheet 125 when the carriage 40 at either limit of its movement. The motor 240 may of course be stopped at any point in the movement of the carriage by manipulating the switch 259 and, when the circuit of the motor is broken either by the operation of the stopping switch or by the operation of the controller, the friction brake on the screw shaft 37 promptly brings the carriage 40 to rest.

. Although but one e bodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that it may be constructed in various other forms within the scope of th appended claims.

' I claim: r

1. The combination in a proof press of a bedplate, a carriage supporting said bedplate, a transfer cylinder, means for movin said carriage transversely to the axis of sai cylinder, means for raising and lowering said transfer cylinder, means for causing the movement of said carriage to effect rotation of saidcylinder, a gear carried by said cylinder, a rack bar carried by said carriage, and means for positioning said cylinder with respect to said carriagef'to cause said gear to with the teeth of said rack bar.

2. The combination in a proof press of a bed plate, a transfer cylinder, a carriage supporting said bed plate and movable transversely to the axis of said cylinder, driving means for said carriage having operating.

connections, means. for efiecting rotation of said cylinder by the movement ofsaid carriage, and means actuated automatically when said carriage reachesthe end of its path of travel for reversing the operating connections of said driving means.

I 3. The combination in a proof press ofa bed plate, a transfer cylinder,-a carriage supporting said bed plate and movable trans- 

